LinkedIn Pinpoint #566 Answer — November 17, 2025

🎯 Pinpoint 566 Answer & Full Analysis — November 17, 2025

This round of Pinpoint had me zigzagging between totally different directions. At first, Moon and Flu pushed me toward disparate themes like space and health, which felt completely unrelated. Then Espresso crashed the party, making me wonder if I was dealing with multiple categories or a very abstract connection. Things felt disjointed—like two puzzles mashed together.

The twist came when Jump showed up. That immediately screamed "basketball shot," and suddenly the idea of words preceding something specific was back on the table. By the time Not by a long arrived, everything clicked into place. The common thread was words that come before 'shot'.

🧩 Step-by-Step Solving Process

When I saw Moon, my brain went to space, craters, maybe even "moon landing." It felt a bit abstract, and I couldn't immediately connect it to a clear pattern, so I kept it in mind as a standalone thought.

Then came Flu. This immediately made me think of illness, vaccines, or symptoms. It felt completely unrelated to Moon, which further increased my confusion. I started to wonder if the puzzle had a very broad, general category, or if I was missing a more subtle connection between these seemingly random words.

But the third clue, Espresso, completely threw me off. Now I was thinking about coffee, cafes, or Italian culture. My initial thoughts of space or illness were completely shattered, and deep confusion set in—I wasn't sure which path to follow or if there was any unifying theme at all.

The fourth clue, Jump, was the turning point. "Jump" instantly made me think of "jump shot" in basketball. This was a concrete phrase! I quickly tested the previous clues with "shot": "moon shot," "flu shot," "espresso shot." Suddenly, a clear and consistent pattern emerged: words that come before 'shot'. This felt like the breakthrough I needed.

By the time Not by a long appeared, the pattern was undeniable. "Not by a long shot" is a common idiom meaning "not at all." This clue perfectly cemented the "before 'shot'" category, confirming my hypothesis with an undeniable final piece of evidence.

🏆 Answer: Pinpoint 566

Words that come before 'shot'

📋 Words & How They Fit

Word	Phrase / Example	Meaning & Usage
Moon	Moonshot	An ambitious and difficult project or goal, often in space exploration.
Flu	Flu shot	An injection given to protect against the influenza virus.
Espresso	Espresso shot	A single serving of strong, concentrated espresso coffee.
Jump	Jump shot	A shot in basketball made while a player is jumping.
Not by a long	Not by a long shot	An idiom meaning "definitely not" or "by no means."

💡 Lessons Learned From Pinpoint 566

• Don't give up on seemingly unrelated clues — Sometimes the pattern only becomes clear with a breakthrough clue that ties things together, even if earlier clues seem disparate.
• Look for common phrasal verbs or idioms — These can often be the hidden connection, like "not by a long shot," which might not be obvious at first glance.
• Spot the "anchor" clue — "Jump" was the anchor clue that firmly pointed to "shot," helping to re-evaluate the preceding, seemingly disparate clues and form a solid hypothesis.
• Test your hypothesis with all clues — Once a potential pattern emerges, quickly check if all previous and subsequent clues fit perfectly to confirm your theory and avoid false positives.

❓ FAQ

Q1: What is a "moonshot"? A "moonshot" refers to an extremely ambitious and innovative project or goal, often one that seems impossible to achieve but could yield significant results, similar to the effort to send humans to the moon.

Q2: What does the idiom "not by a long shot" mean? "Not by a long shot" is an idiom used to emphasize that something is definitely not true or not going to happen, often by a large margin or to a great extent.

Q3: Are "flu shot" and "espresso shot" related in meaning? No, they are not related in meaning beyond both using the word "shot." A "flu shot" is a medical injection for immunity, while an "espresso shot" refers to a serving of coffee. The word "shot" in this puzzle is a homograph with different meanings depending on the preceding word.